Forgotten Keep and the Western Lands

Splitting of the Sky and Sea

28

MAR/14

After ignoring the old man’s warning of staying away from the sea the party found themselves in Flan port at the Traveler’s Inn. Gannic, Nemi and Amarae sat on the roof of the inn as Rolf and Theoren drank at the bar. From the roof the three travelers witnessed the sky like they had never seen before. A line seemed to split the sky in half and colors of purple and pink flowed from it like two rivers each flooding the sky, one side pink the other purple. Then the dark line that separated the colors grow and a dark void filled the middle of the sky and a single start could be seen through the darkness. Inside Rolf, caught up in the festivities had purchased many drinks for himself and the other patrons and was now falling asleep in his beer. Theoren looked around and noticed that the bar had emptied and the barkeep looked worried as he closed the shutters and prepared to lock the door.

“Those colors, the sky, not good, not good.”

Theoren remembering his companions on the roof stumbled to the door and out onto the street. The warm air and silence greeted him and the colors of the sky embraced him. The street was empty. All doors locked and shutters closed. He called up to the roof, his drunken mumbling breaking the silence.

The group spotted Abbey moving in the shadows towards the plaza. As the rest of the group descended from the roof on Gannic’s rope Theoren clumsily made his way to Abbey. She hushed him as he approached and explained that you must follow the creatures of the sea to find her son. He has left many years ago on a night like this and he must return this night or stay under the sea till the next split sky.

As Nemi and Amarae moved around the plaza to the opposite side they heard a groaning sound from farther down the street and in the colorful gloom of night saw a tall ragged humanoid creature dragging what looked like a limp human. The creatures moved quickly towards the south only slightly hindered by dragging a full sized man. Nemi loaded her crossbow and fired a bolt into the creatures back as Amarae turned into a large panther. The creature hissed in pain and turned, it’s face was horrid, skin saggy, grey and wrinkled. Hair disheveled and its dark eyes’ gleamed with hate. Nemi shrunk back into the shadows, fear drawing the strength from her. The large panther that was Amarae rushed forward gashing the creature with a claw. The horrible creature’s claws seemed to glow in the strange light as it slashed but the panther was too quick. Nemi drawing her strength loaded another crossbow and fired at the creature but missed. Again the panther rushed in clawing and retreating. The hideous grey humanoid took one more swipe with its claw, missed the panther and then disappeared into nothing.

Nemi And Amarae could still hear its footsteps retreating down the cobblestone street but could not see anything. Amarae rushed after it clawing at the air and catching it twice before she could not locate it again.

Hearing the sound of battle Gannic and Theoren caught up to the human man the creature had left behind. His eyes met theirs but he was limp, unable to move or speak. As they turned to go after Nemi and the panther his eye’s darted frantically. Seeing this Theoren put him over his shoulder and carried him back to the Traveler’s Inn. After banging on the door the barkeep reluctantly opened it and Theoren placed the man and Rolf inside.

Meanwhile a Nemi and Amarae heard strange watery voices through the streets and Amarae stalked through the darkness. A few streets over she witnessed over a dozen strange fish like humanoids with spears making their way down the street towards the plaza carrying empty sacks woven from seagrass.

When the fish creatures reached the plaza they quickly removed the remaining food from the tables and loaded it into their sacks and returned down the street which they had come. Abbey followed, staying in the shadows behind them as they did.

One of the fish creatures who sack was mostly empty turned off the street into an alley and the cracking of wood could be heard. A few minutes he returned to the street, his sack full and struggling. He opped it briefly to strike the contents with the blunt end of his spear. This put him a good twenty paces behind his fish companions. Nemi and the panther raced down a parallel street and maneuvering in front of the group. Creeping through a side street they waited till all but the last of the fish creatures had passed. As the last creature passed he glanced down the alley to see the large panther. He watched it carefully as he continued undisturbed by the magically created sound of a crying baby in the opposite alley. The line of fish creatures turned down a diagonal street towards the harbor, as the second to last creature turned the corner the panther rushed out towards the last fish creature. As she did he dropped his sack and raised his spear. She stopped at the sack as the fish creature backed away, grabbing it in her mouth and dragging it away. As she did the fish creature raised his spear but a bolt from Nemi’s crossbow slammed into his side and he turned and ran to follow his companions. Inside the sack a young boy moaned, his face badly bruised. Nemi and Gannic returned him to the building he was taking from and left him in front of the door after banging loudly and magically projecting a voice inside the house.

The group together now continued south towards the waterfront and docks. There they could see the strange fish creatures returning to the water and Abbey trailing them. As the last of them disappeared under the water Abbey prepared to follow but Theoren approached her.

Nemi and Amarae watched the reflection of the sky in the water as footprints appeared on the street walking towards them. The creature appeared slashing the Panther with its claws and staring into the panthers eyes. Nemi rushed forward stabbing it twice with her daggers and it disappeared again returning the the sea.

Gannic and Theoren followed Abbey into the water and along a muddy path. The path’s decent stopped after about fifteen minutes and traversed a rocky hill covered in kelp. As the path left the forest it passed a hillside with half a dozen cave openings on the right. As Abbey passed the caves a giant eel rushed out towards her. Gannic rushed forward stabbing the eel with is spear but not before its jaw closed around Abbey pulling her back towards its cave. Theoren ran up the side of the hill and met the eel as it retreated tail first into its cave. His sword Fimbric slid through the eels neck before it could pull Abbey into the dark opening. Abbey tumbled down the leaving a cloud of blood. Gannic reached her and with magic brought her back to consciousness. Another eel rushed out and biting Theoren’s leg. He turned and slashed its side and it retreated back to its cave. Gannic healed the screaming Abbey and told her they would try and find her son and deliver the message to him. With that Abbey rushed back the way they had come.